Research, Writing, and Instruction by Geoffrey B. Elliott

Month: December 2015

After being contacted by faculty at Northern Oklahoma College and filling out employment paperwork, I am happy to note that I will be teaching a section of ENGL 1213: Composition II at that institution during the Spring 2016 term. More information will be forthcoming, certainly, and I welcome the opportunity to take two different approaches to what counts as the same course.

Class Demographics

Demographic data were assessed near the end of the Fall 2015 term through a survey not unlike that offered early in the term; the end-of-term survey is noted here. The results of the earlier survey are reported here. As in the earlier survey, both general and academic demographic data were solicited.

At the end of the term, a total of 66 students were enrolled across the four sections–16 in Section 025, 18 in Section 044, 15 in Section 084, and 17 in Section 102. The numbers represent declines: ten in total, comprised of three from Section 025, one from Section 044, four from Section 084, and two from Section 102. A total of 59 students responded to the end-of-term survey–12 from Section 025 (20.3% of the total), 16 from Section 044 (27.1% of the total), 13 from Section 084 (22% of the total), and 18 from Section 102 (30.5% of the total, among which at least one duplicate answer was identified). The mismatch of number of students and number of responses per section admittedly introduces some uncertainty into survey results, although they are likely to be minor.

General Demography

As in the earlier survey, students were asked to report age, gender identification, racial and ethnic identifications (following the 2010 US Census Bureau categories and definitions), and socio-economic status. Available answers for age were “Under 17,” “17,” “18,” “19,” “Over 19,” and “Prefer not to respond.” Students were allowed to select one and only one answer. Thirty-seven respondents (62.7% of the total) attested to being 18 years of age, 19 (32.2%) reported being 19, and three (5.1%) reported being over 19 years of age. Results are consistent with first-year courses filled with largely traditional students, and if the students skew slightly older at the end of the term than the beginning, that is only to be expected.

Available answers for gender identification were “Female,” “Intersex,” “Male,” “Trans,” “Prefer not to identify,” and “Other.” Students were allowed to select one and only one answer. Thirty-one students (52.5% of the total) self-identified as male; the remaining 28 (47.5% of the total) identified as female, and no respondents selected any other option. At the end of the term, then, respondents skewed more male than early in the term, still at variance with the commonplace that more young women than men enroll in collegiate coursework.

Available answers for racial identification were “American Indian or Alaska Native,” “Asian,” “Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander,” “Black or African-American,” “White,” “Some Other Race,” and “Prefer not to identify.” Students were allowed to select multiple answers. Twelve respondents (20.3% of the total) self-identified as White, ten (16.9%) as Black or African-American, six (10.2%) as American Indian or Alaska Native, four (6.8%) as Asian, two (3.4%) as “Some Other Race,” and one (1.7%) as Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. One opted not to answer. The sharp reduction in students self-identifying as White from the early survey to the end-of-term survey is of uncertain source; changes to other sets of responses are of similarly unclear origin.

Available answers for ethnic identification–specifically, identification as Hispanic–were “Yes,” “No,” and “Prefer not to identify. Students were allowed to select one and only one option. Fifty-four respondents (91.5% of the total) self-identified as non-Hispanic; the remaining five (8.5% of the total) self-identified as being Hispanic. Results are largely in line with the earlier survey.

Socio-economic status was posed as an open-ended question. Responses were coded to account for substantially similar answers, and the identified duplicate answer was eliminated. Doing so indicated that 27 respondents offered some variant on “middle class,” with three identifying themselves as upper-middle-class and two identifying themselves as lower-middle-class. The five students who offered definitions marked middle-class life as addressing material needs (food, shelter, clothing) without much additional luxury. Twenty-six respondents opted not to answer. Two respondents identified themselves as upper class. Three additional respondents gave unique answers; one identified as a student for socio-economic status, one reported being dependent upon parents, and the third identified “White” as a socio-economic determiner–an answer with uncomfortable implications. The preponderance of self-identifications, however, still corresponds with typical ideas of student populations at state universities.

Academic Demography

As in the earlier survey, students were also asked to report section of enrollment, classification, current GPA, College of major, major, and minor (if available). Section of enrollment is discussed above.

Available responses to classification were “Freshman,” “Sophomore,” “Junior,” “Senior,” and “Prefer not to respond.” Students were allowed to select one and only one answer. Fifty-eight respondents (98.3% of the total) reported being first-year students, one (1.7%) reported being a senior, and no other results were selected. The distribution is sensible against the expectation that first-year students take first-year classes.

Available responses about current GPA were “3.5+,” “3.0-3.499,” “2.5-2.999,” “2.0-2.499,” “1.5-1.999,” “1.0-1.499,” “Below 1.0,” “No GPA recorded yet,” and “Prefer not to respond.” Students were allowed to select one and only one answer. Nineteen respondents (32.2%) reported having no recorded GPA as yet; another 19 reported having a GPA of 3.0 to 3.499. Eleven (18.6%) reported a GPA of 2.5-2.999; six (10.2%) reported a GPA of 3.5+. One each reported a GPA of 2.0 to 2.499 and 1.5 to 1.999. Two opted not to respond, and no other responses were submitted. The relative rise in students recording a GPA is perhaps due to preliminary scores; Oklahoma State University offers six-week grades to its students. They do not factor into the GPA proper, but they do allow an idea of class standing in advance of semester grades being determined.

Available responses about the College of major included “Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources”; “Arts and Sciences”; “Education”; “Engineering, Architecture, and Technology”; “Human Sciences”; “Spears School of Business”; “Undeclared”; “Prefer not to identify”; and “Other.” Students were allowed to select one and only one answer; “Other” was indicated as the appropriate response for those pursuing double majors whose majors cross Colleges. Thirteen students (22% of the total) indicated having a major in Engineering, Architecture, and Technology; 12 (20.3%) in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; ten (16.9%) in Arts and Sciences; seven (11.9%) in the Spears School of Business; six (10.2%) in Human Sciences; and three (5.1%) in Education. Four (6.8% of the total) responded with “Other,” while three (5.1%) identified as undeclared and one (1.7%) opted not to respond.

Individual majors were reported in open-ended questions. After coding to consolidate effectively equivalent responses, five students were found to identify as Mechanical Engineering majors. Five others reported Animal Science or some variant as a major; two reported Animal Science alone, while one each indicated a double-major with Agricultural Communications and Agricultural Education, and one other reported majoring in Animal Science as a precursor to veterinary school. Three reported some variation on a major in Computer Science; two indicated Computer Science alone as the major, with one other double-majoring in Computer Science and Secondary Education with English option. Three others reported majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences. Two reported majoring in each of Civil Engineering and Elementary Education. Another two reported majoring in a variation of Agricultural Education (in addition to the double-major listed above), one alone and one as a double-major with Agricultural Communications. Additionally, one each reported majoring in each of the following:

Accounting and Finance

Applied Sociology

Architecture

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Business

Chemical Engineering

Construction Management Technology

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Computer Engineering

Economics

Electrical Engineer

Entrepreneurship

Fashion Merchandising

Finance

Graphic Design

Health Education

Hotel and Restaurant Administration

Human Nutrition

Industrial Engineering

International Business

Landscape Architecture

Marketing

Mathematics

Multimedia Journalism

Nursing

Nutritional Sciences and Allied Health

Political Science and Foreign Language double major

Psychology (a duplicate answer was eliminated)

Sports Media

Wildlife Biology as a precursor to veterinary school

Wildlife Ecology and Management

Further, one student self-identified as undeclared; five students opted not to identify their majors. Such shifts among majors are not unexpected at any level of undergraduate work.

Minors were also reported in open-ended questions. After coding to consolidate effectively equivalent responses, three students were found to have reported minoring in Management and two in each of Philosophy and Spanish. One respondent each offered the following: Art; Business; Marketing; Music, Japanese, or German; Pre-Law; Pre-Vet; and Psychology. Additionally, 25 students reported having or desiring no minor. Eleven indicated being unsure of what minor they would select or if they would select one. Five opted not to identify (a duplicate response was deleted.) One student simply answered “Yes.” Such shifts as occurred in reported minor since the earlier survey are no less expected than changes to majors.

Class Performance

Class performance was assessed by evaluating a series of major (Literacy Narrative, Profile, Textual Analysis, Evaluation, and Final Exam) and minor assignments, as well as such factors as professionalism and attendance, over the course of the instructional term and assigning grades in accordance with that evaluation. Other than attendance, handling of which was determined at the programmatic level, each was scored using a scale of A+ through zero, either directly or as a means of assigning categorical scores to be averaged for a final score. Factors contributing to grading were weighted unevenly, as indicated below:

Literacy Narrative, 10% of total grade

Profile, 15% of total grade

Textual Analysis, 20% of total grade

Evaluation, 20% of total grade

Final Exam, 5% of total grade

Special Exercise, 5% of total grade

Minor Assignments, cumulatively 15% of total grade

Student Professionalism, 10% of total grade

While discussion of individual assignments and individual student performance exceeds what is appropriate for such a report as this, general tendencies within and among the individual sections can be reported.

Section 025

Section 025 was scheduled to meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1030 in Engineering South Room 213A.

Student participation was generally restricted, perhaps as a result of the timing of the class. Four of the sixteen enrolled at the end of the term) lost points due to absences in the section than in any other this term, with one failing outright for that reason.

Section 044

Section 044 was scheduled to meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1330 in Classroom Building Room 108.

End-of-term enrollment: 18

Average class score: 78.255 (C)

Standard deviation: 7.165

Students earning a grade of A (90%+): 2

Students earning a grade of F (below 60%): 2 (both due to absence penalties)

Student participation in the section was excellent, although class discussions did tend to distraction throughout the term. Absences were most detrimental to this section’s performance; four students lost points due to absence penalties, with two failing the class outright for that reason.

Section 084

Section 084 was scheduled to meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 0830 in Morrill Hall Room 306.

End-of-term enrollment: 15

Average class score: 80.867 (B)

Standard deviation: 7.549

Students earning a grade of A (90%+): 1

Students earning a grade of F (below 60%): 0

Student participation in the class was generally good despite the early time of day. Remarkably, no students lost points due to absence penalties, although more withdrew from this section than from the other three. More than half (eight of the fifteen) of those who remained enrolled earned a grade of B.

Section 102

Section 102 was scheduled to meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1230 in Classroom Building Room 221.

End-of-term enrollment: 17

Average class score: 73.089 (C)

Standard deviation: 10.313

Students earning a grade of A (90%+): 1

Students earning a grade of F (below 60%): 2

Student participation was generally restricted, perhaps as a result of the timing of the class. Only one student suffered grade penalties due to absences, although none failed outright as a result of absences. Non-submission of assignments was higher in this section than in any other this term, contributing to lowered overall scores; both of the students who received a grade of F did so due to not submitting one of the major papers.

Impressions and Implications

Gaining perspective on results from the Fall 2015 term obliges looking back to the Spring 2014 term, the last time I had been assigned to teach sections of ENGL 1113 at Oklahoma State University. I did not track demographic data during that term, at least not in any substantive way, so I cannot offer comparisons between that term’s classes and those I taught in the Fall 2015 term in that regard. I can, however, comment about comparative grading. The classes seem reasonably in line with one another for the most part; the two sections of ENGL 1113 I taught in the Spring 2014 instructional term showed averages in the lower C range, somewhat lower than the aggregate scores of the Fall 2015 term’s classes. More students earned As in Fall 2015 than in Spring 2014, although the numbers are affected by the number of sections taught. Fewer students failed in the Fall 2015 term than in the Spring 2014 term, however, eight to nine, respectively. Whether this means that the students were better, my teaching improved, or my grading grew more lax is not clear. A combination of all three factors is likely at work.

There are matters I need to address as I move forward, I know. More explicit instruction earlier in assignment sequences will be helpful, including more detailed walk-throughs of assignments and various component parts thereof. So will narrower breakdowns of the assignments. Occasional comments have been made about the difficulty of reading my assignment sheets–not the formatting, but the content–although I am not sure how to address them more fully. Perhaps a “quick-and-dirty” section, such as many textbooks have at chapters’ ends, will be of use. Commentary to that effect might be welcome.

The Fall 2015 term was better than most previous terms at Oklahoma State University in the amount of sample work that was provided. I wrote more of the assignments alongside my students this term than in most previous ones. Perhaps it helped. (I note also that, in the event I teach ENGL 1113 at Oklahoma State University again, I will be able to pull from student examples, as well, having secured permission from many to use their work to that end. It should also help.) Certainly, it did not hurt; I shall continue the practice in future terms.

I also made an effort to make my classrooms more responsive and student-centered, if only through the series of surveys I administered during the term. The entry and exit surveys were used primarily to gather data that has since been reported, admittedly, but the Week 7 survey (results from which are reported here) and the survey used to determine the form of the Final Exam both sought specific student responses, using them to shape instruction and assignments after their conclusions. I hope that students came away from the exercises with a greater sense of agency in their classes; I do not think they came away with less a sense of ownership, and so I think I will be continuing the survey practice in future terms, as well.

In all, the Fall 2015 term was a rewarding experience for me; I hope it was for my students, as well. At its end, I find myself looking forward to the next term, waiting with hope for what it will bring.

Students in each section sat for the FinEx, the text of which derives from Exeter Book Riddle 14. The traditional answer to the riddle presented is “horn,” although “correctness” of the answer is not factored into grading of the FinEx. Reports of final grades and discussions of classroom demographics and impressions are forthcoming.

Regarding meetings and attendance:

Section 025 met as scheduled, at 1000 on 11 December 2015, in Engineering South 213 A. The class roster showed 16 students enrolled, unchanged since the previous report. Fifteen receive credit for attendance, verified via the FinEx.

Section 044 met as scheduled, at 1400 on 11 December 2015, in Classroom Building 108. The class roster showed 18 students enrolled, unchanged since the previous report. Sixteen receive credit for attendance, verified via the FinEx.

Section 084 met as scheduled, at 0800 on 7 December 2015, in Morrill Hall 306. The class roster showed 15 students enrolled, unchanged since the previous report. All receive credit for attendance, verified via the FinEx.

Section 102 met as scheduled, at 1000 on 9 December 2015, in Classroom Building 221. The class roster showed 17 students enrolled, unchanged since the previous report. Sixteen receive credit for attendance, verified via the FinEx.

I have just received an email with my Spring 2016 teaching schedule. It seems I will be teaching three sections of ENGL 1213: Composition II:

Section 015, MWF 1030-1120, Classroom Building Room 217;

Section 023, MWF 1130-1220, Classroom Building Room 121; and

Section 040, MWF 0830-0920, Morrill Hall Room 206

It will be my first time teaching the course at Oklahoma State University (I have taught the equivalent elsewhere), and I am informed there will be programmatic changes, so the information already posted to my website will doubtlessly be changing. (It is a shame, because many of the materials already available on this website would have been helpful. Maybe they will still be.) That said, I have noted some familiar names on the already-full rosters, and I am glad of it.

I mean to continue several of the practices I have developed, retained, or resumed during the Fall 2015 term. Reports of classroom activities will continue, as will my efforts to draft sample assignments alongside my students. I am likely to continue to use riddle quizzes, as well; students will still benefit from practice in proofreading and critical thinking and argumentation such as they provide, and I will still benefit from the translation practice converting texts from older Englishes to modern English offers. Surveys asking after demographic and academic data, as well as impressions of the course, will likely also be forthcoming. I feel they have been helpful, and that seems reason enough to try them again.

Discussion again centered on the FinEx, working through a practice exercise centering on a riddle derived from Exeter Book Riddle 44. (Students had, during the previous class meeting, noted wanting to try one of the “funnier” riddles.)